First Signs of Spring in the Mulkear Catchment

As we enter the first week of February 2013, the Mulkear catchment has experienced gales, storms, snow, hail, rain and today, for a change, beautiful sunshine.

The Mulkear River from railway bridge at Foyle (Image: Ruairí Ó Conchúir)

While the weather has been extremely windy and very unsettled over the past two weeks, there has only been a few nights of consecutive hard frosts. Daytime temperatures have varied from 4 or 5 degrees Celsius to a barmy 13 degrees Celsius on the 29th January.

Spring buds and lichen over the Mulkear (Image: Ruairí Ó Conchúir)

Despite the cold and unsettled weather, the signs of spring are visible throughout the catchment. Signs of new life abound.

First leaves of new life on the Mulkear River (Image: Ruairí Ó Conchúir)

As MulkearLIFE plans the roll-out of the key elements of its work programme for 2013, we look forward with great hope and expectation to a clear, bright, dry Spring and a warm dry Summer.